Billy and Jodie Ballenger
Billy Ballenger’s personal story reads like a movie script, and there’s nothing he doesn’t share! He truly believes the greatest story anyone could ever tell is their testimony, just ask the over half million lives he’s already impacted through his songs and story. Billy initially accepted Christ when he was 10 at a church event held in a fire station. Billy’s music is driven by his heart to create a song that speaks for those who can’t, and inspire those who can! He found his passion for music as a young boy growing up in Indiana. Yet as a child, he was troubled and bullied which led to bad decisions and bad outcomes. By eighteen Billy was already a young married father, but still chasing after the party life. Substance abuse, burglaries and violence led to a SWAT team raiding his home which ended with he and his wife being arrested. As a result, their baby girl was taken from them and they were both sentenced to six years in prison. A miraculous part of he and Jodie’s story, is that through a man who overheard Billy say he needed a job, Billy and Jodie began attending church before they entered prison. They both responded to an altar call there and recommitted their lives to Christ. This was shortly before they were sentenced. While in prison, Billy grew in his faith and communicated regularly with Jodie to encourage her. The man who hired Billy (to do construction) together with his wife, poured into the Ballenger’s, changing their path. They remain ‘family’ today. Billy and his wife were miraculously released early from prison and soon received full custody of their daughter! Billy followed his heart and began pursuing his dream of becoming a recording artist. Since that day, God has led him around the globe with performances in the United States, China, Russia, Canada, worldwide television, and Christian music's largest annual tour Winter Jam, where his dream of arena tours and reaching tens of thousands for Christ became a reality! Billy is incredibly grateful for the friendships and collaboration he’s found touring with artist's like Building 429, Crowder, Andy Mineo, Passion, Hillsong Young and Free, Red, NewSong, and so many more. Billy followed his heart and began pursuing his dream to become a recording artist and speaker – his speaking has taken him to public schools where he has reached more than 300,000 young people so far – and he is not done yet! In an effort to continue to impact everyone, everywhere he goes, he continues to accept opportunities to expand his outreach into every community he can. He co-founded a life-changing nonprofit called “Break the Grey, Inc.” Its mission is focused on one thing . . . to bring the hope of Jesus Christ to the lost and hurting through music and speaking! Jodie Ballenger is an inspirational speaker and author of the book, "Beautifully Unbroken: The Prostitute's Daughter." She is the wife of musician and motivational speaker, Billy Ballenger, and the co-founder of a life-changing nonprofit organization called Break the Grey. Its mission is to bring the hope of Jesus Christ to the lost and hurting through music and speaking. She is the Mother of two grown children, one son- in-law, one daughter-in-law, and five grandchildren. Through many God-directed interventions in her life, Jodie found the hope, love and healing of Jesus Christ. Her story is one of Faith, Redemption and Love. https://billyballenger.com/ /a> https://jodieballenger.com/ /a>